Chapter 201. Foray (1)
After parting with Aslin.
The rain gradually subsided, and eventually, leaving behind a few gray, dark clouds, the sky cleared up.
The puddles of water that had collected here and there on the damp ground shone, reflecting the subtle colors of the sky, which was cloudy but showed patches of blue.
Alicia, who was walking slowly beside Enoch, wrung out the water from her uniform skirt that was clinging to her body and let out a light sigh.
“Ugh, this feels so sticky.”
“Of course, you were talking in the rain.”
“Ah, ahaha. That’s true, but…….”
“I’m the same, I got a useless shower in the rain, really.”
To Alicia, who was scratching her white cheek slightly at Enoch’s teasing, April, who was walking with her hands in the pockets of her off-the-shoulder jumper, muttered petulantly.
“……A-and besides, I, I was even treated like that by the Direct Lineage Member.”
“What?”
Because April’s voice was unusually mumbled, Enoch, who hadn’t heard her well, asked again, and April glared at me with her flushed cheeks.
“Tch, it’s nothing!”
Looking at her glaring with her cat-like eyes, Enoch tilted his head. What’s wrong with her now?
By the time I returned to the freelancers’ temporary gathering place with April and Alicia, the sun was already setting.
As I entered the area where the freelancers’ temporary tents were lined up, the surroundings were already bustling with people who had set out their camping gear and were preparing to camp.
The freelancers without tents seemed to be planning to return to the accommodations they had reserved in the outsourcing district.
As I retraced my steps through the crowd, I suddenly saw Sirocco, who seemed to have been waiting for Enoch at the container box for a long time.
As soon as she spotted me, she jumped down to the ground and approached, wagging her tail happily.
“Hmph, you took a long time. Are you done with your business?”
“More or less.”
“So, what do we have to do now?”
“We’ll go back and get ourselves sorted out first.”
Enoch replied concisely.
Perhaps the other squad members, Nano and Lily, had also gotten separate accommodations and might have already gone back.
Just as Enoch was about to add that, familiar girls came into his line of sight from between the paths of the barracks right in front of him.
“Huh? It’s Nano and Lily!”
At April’s surprised shout from the side, Enoch slowly nodded his head.
He hadn’t seen wrong. Nano, the girl with long, white-gold hair, and Lily were putting their heads together.
Wondering what was going on, I approached a little closer, and I could hear Nano’s voice, who was looking at a terminal in her hand with Lily, their heads together.
“Umm, I really didn’t expect things to turn out like this--mda.”
“I-I know.”
Enoch, who had approached from behind Lily, who was holding a long, medical staff with both hands, asked them.
“Is something wrong?”
At that, Lily jumped and turned around, and upon seeing me, she bowed.
“Ah, Direct Lineage Member!”
“Oh! Direct Lineage Member, you’re here-ssumka!”
Nano also glanced at Enoch and made an expression as if to say it was good that he had come.
Before Enoch could even ask what was wrong, Nano, who had come up to him, held out her terminal.
“Well, you see--mda! I flew Bzz-Bzz earlier to check the situation inside the outsourcing district, and there’s a big problem!”
“A big problem?”
“Yep! Originally, we were planning to go to our [Bolt & Spanner] workshop and stay the night, but!”
Nano held up her terminal awkwardly.
“Well, you see, the road around there was destroyed during the last magical beast attack, so they’ve urgently restricted access to the area and are carrying out repair work!”
Indeed, when Enoch looked at the screen, in a photo that seemed to have been taken by a drone in Nano’s messaging app, he could see a main street that was completely cordoned off with do-not-enter tape.
Although it was miserably destroyed, it was definitely familiar, and it seemed to be the main street in front of the building where the [Bolt & Spanner] workshop was located.
Enoch tilted his head and asked back.
“That’s certainly a predicament. So, the road is completely blocked and you can’t even get into the workshop?”
“That’s right--mda! Ronto said he’d borrow a place to stay from his friends in the Underground, but I’m the problem!”
“It would take a lot of time to get there. Since the outsourcing district is wide.”
“Yep! It looks like I’ll have to stay somewhere else besides the workshop today--mda!”
Ah! Of course, it’s not like I can easily book another place, though, Nano added with a laugh.
It wasn't a wrong story. Because of the freelancers who had come here, all the nearby accommodations were already taken. Enoch slowly nodded his head.
“Right. At this rate, the sun will rise.”
“That’s right--mda. Umm, I didn’t expect things to turn out like this--mda!”
Nano, as if she was in a difficult situation, scratched the back of her head and gave a hearty laugh. Then, placing one hand on her slender waist, she shouted cheerfully.
“I guess! The people who couldn’t get a room will have to sleep outside!!”
“……Sleep outside, you say.”
At that extreme statement, Enoch almost let out a snort.
The word “sleep outside” coming from the mouth of such a cool beauty was incredibly jarring. Although it wasn't particularly strange since I knew her personality.
“U-um. Actually, I’m in a difficult situation too.”
Alicia said, fidgeting with her fingers, with a slightly worried expression.
“Well, you see. Since Lord Enoch said earlier that he wanted to keep me by his side, I have nowhere to go now…….”
“……Hmm~? You want to keep her by your side?”
At Alicia’s words, Sirocco raised an eyebrow and swung her tail behind her back. Then, as if she was misunderstanding something, she looked at Enoch with a demure expression and said.
“You. Is that, true?”
“It’s not wrong.”
“Hmm~. Is that so?”
Sirocco crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave Enoch a coy look.
But it was really true.
After all, Alicia, who had confidently declared that she would be more active by Enoch’s side, couldn't just return to the field command post where the Dragoon Corps was staying.
“Um. S-so, you see?”
Just then, Alicia, who had been thinking for a moment, added, glancing at me with a slightly shy expression.
“D-Direct Lineage Member. Will you take responsibility for me tonight then?”
At those words, April glanced at her and mouthed, “W-wow. How can she say it like that….” in admiration.
Come to think of it, Alicia hadn’t had a chance to book another accommodation, as she had been fighting by my side the whole time. Of course, the same went for Lily and April.
It seemed that everyone was in a difficult situation.
Just then, from the side, Sirocco winked at Nano and blurted out.
“Hmph, then you guys. Why don’t you just come to where we’re staying.”
As she said that, she glanced at Enoch. A look that said, ‘This much is okay, right?’
Enoch didn’t have any particular objections to that.
“Right, it was raining just now too.”
Enoch had no intention of making his squad members, who had followed him here, sleep on the muddy ground.
The area near the battlefield was still in the middle of cleanup, and since it had rained, camping was not a recommended option.
“But it’s not an accommodation that was booked with you in mind. You might have to put up with some inconvenience.”
Since it was a room that Lien had booked, it was unlikely that she had booked a room with a large capacity in mind.
But April, as if it didn't matter, cheerfully raised her hand and quickly replied.
“Hehe, of course! Actually, I failed to book a room nearby too. It’s not like I’m in a position to be picky, right?”
Then, she hummed a happy tune to herself, saying, “Yay, I can wash today~!”
Enoch also nodded his head.
Come to think of it, none of them had had a proper rest yet.
***
“……What is this.”
After finding our way with the help of Nano, who was also a resident of the outsourcing district, when we arrived at the accommodation that Lien had reserved.
Enoch, who had stopped in his tracks, muttered blankly, staring at the accommodation spread out before him.
Not only the other squad members who were walking with him, but even Enoch himself was genuinely surprised.
“I-is this really the right place?”
From the side, Lily asked, looking back at Enoch hesitantly.
What had appeared before them was a small, three-story hotel located in the downtown area on the outskirts of the outsourcing district.
But even if it was small, it was too lavish a hotel to be used as accommodation for an operation.
April, who was looking around the hotel from Enoch’s side, muttered as if she found it strange.
“……This place, it’s not that big a hotel, but I don’t see any other guests? Did they rent out the whole place?”
“I wonder. It’s my first time here too.”
After exchanging glances, everyone went inside together, and suddenly, from the far end of the corridor, the sound of someone walking alone was heard, and a clear voice echoed through the interior.
“Welcome back, Young Master.”
Like a scene from a painting, a silver-haired maid was walking across the elegant interior.
Her black and white skirt and apron rippled lightly with her every step as she walked with a click-clack sound.
“Because all the nearby rooms were fully booked and the price per room had jumped, it was actually more efficient to book this entire large hotel.”
“Whaaaat? Th-this whole place?!”
As soon as she heard that, Alicia exclaimed with a look of surprise as if her eyes were about to pop out.
Enoch felt no different.
When I actually went inside, it was a much larger and more proper villa-like hotel than I had thought.
Looking around once, a luxurious and spacious interior came into view.
In the dark-toned, elegant interior, the vast living room boasted a Victorian-style three-way mirror with an antique design, exuding a sense of dignity.
Enoch was a little impressed as he looked around the classic-style hotel interior, which was finished with materials such as cypress wood and marble.
“Hmm~. What’s this, this place is much bigger than I thought?”
As Sirocco had blurted out from the side, Lien probably hadn’t prepared a room to stay with other people.
To have booked such a large hotel entirely.
Just then, Lien bowed lightly and also spoke to the others who were standing behind Enoch.
“I will prepare a meal shortly. Why don’t you all come inside for now?”
“Aah, yes, yes! Great! This maid is amazing! Then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll make myself at home~!!”
April, who was the first to exclaim, went in excitedly, and Sirocco followed behind her.
Then, the slightly hesitant Nano and Alicia bowed to Lien and followed them in.
Finally, Lily, who was looking back and forth between Enoch and Lien, held her horizontally placed magic gear with both hands and bowed her head deeply and politely.
“U-um. I’m sorry to be a bother! Although I am a nun who has dedicated her body to the Goddess, for tonight only, I will borrow the Direct Lineage Member’s kindness and impose for one night!”
Perhaps it was a thank-you greeting in accordance with the doctrine. After saying that, the young nun was the last to run into the room.
Enoch, who had been glancing at their backs, sent a slightly puzzled look at the silver-haired maid.
Enoch was a little curious about the intentions of Lien, who was walking down the dark corridor leading to the hotel lobby with him.
Even if I didn’t know much, this was the outskirts of the outsourcing district, which was closest to the battlefield and convenient for travel.
In a situation where all the nearby accommodations were really fully booked, if she had tried to rent such a large hotel, the price must have been quite steep.
Just as a rather absurd question of whether her wallet was in good enough shape to book this place came to mind.
As if she had read his thoughts, Lien, who was walking ahead, glanced back and said with an emotionless expression.
“You don’t have to worry about the accommodation. The main house is covering the mission expenses this time.”
“Is that so?”
Wondering if it was being resolved with the main house’s wealth, Enoch nodded his head with a slightly bitter expression.
“Even so, to rent this whole place.”
No matter how much the price of one room had jumped, it couldn’t have been as expensive as renting this whole place.
At that question, Lien glanced back at me and added as if it was obvious.
“Of course. The hygiene in the outsourcing district is not very good. I couldn't possibly let the Young Master’s body be harmed.”
……So that was the real reason.
At Lien’s consistent reply, Enoch nodded his head without a word.
Come to think of it, everyone had worked hard in this mission, so this much luxury might be permissible.
“Well then, I’ll prepare dinner first.”
As I was lost in thought for a moment, Lien said that and walked away with a click-clack sound.
Watching her long, silver hair sway from side to side, Enoch turned his head.
“Ah! Direct Lineage Member, what are you doing standing alone in that dark corridor-ssumka!”
Just then, from inside, Nano raised her hand and shouted.
Only then did Enoch realize that he was standing in a dark corridor leading to the hotel’s interior.
Enoch took a step inside.
Just then, from Nano’s side, April looked this way and shouted as if she had just remembered.
“Ah! That’s right. You said you’d tell me a little while ago. The content of the meeting, since we’re all here, tell me now.”
April, with her arm wrapped tightly around Lily’s slender waist, half-opened her eyes and tickled her soft, white cheek with her finger.
Then, she gave Enoch a gentle glare and added.
“Well, even if we’ve gathered temporarily like this, our squad is one now, you know? We can’t be separated! Everyone has the right to know too.”
At the freelance girl’s question, the other squad members also looked at Enoch with a slightly awkward smile.
“Alright, actually……”
Enoch was about to speak the truth, but he swallowed his words.
Then, without anyone knowing, he clenched his fist and, slowly lifting his head, opened his mouth again.
“I might be receiving a mission from Shepherd this time. It seems I was responsible for moving the squad suddenly without following the discussed plan.”
“A mission, you say?”
“Yes. But it probably won’t be a very dangerous mission. Perhaps a mission to support the interims that have been weakened after losing their comrades.”
“I-is that so……”
Lily muttered from the side as if relieved.
At that, April grinned from the side.
“Well, the freelancers have also taken a big hit, so that annoying old man Shepherd too, right? He won’t be able to get by without cooperating with our squad!”
Then, as if she had just remembered, she turned to Alicia, who was standing beside her, and playfully winked.
“Ah! It’s okay to badmouth our superior here, right? Right?”
“Ah, ahaha……”
Just as Alicia was giving an awkward smile to April, who was winking at her.
From the corridor, Lien, with her silver hair hanging down, came in, pushing a cart, and said neatly.
“Dinner is ready.”
And a dream-like time passed.
Perhaps because there were no other staff in the hotel, the food, which seemed to have been made by Lien alone, boasted an excellent taste as always.
Under the chandelier made of glass, a sparkling light shone down faintly.
The tension that had been in the battlefield just a moment ago had all disappeared from the room.
For a moment, Enoch was captivated by the fact that beautiful girls were gathered in a place like this, not in the middle of a battlefield.
The most popular was Nano.
With her long, blonde hair hanging down, she smiled her characteristic cool smile and, with the drone floating in the air, she projected various images and games as holograms.
“Hyaaaaa~! What is this!!”
In front of it, Sirocco, her eyes sparkling beautifully in amazement, was clenching her fists with her tail wagging.
And right next to her was Lily, who had been praying to the goddess with her hands clasped together, but was now captivated by the brilliant drone show that Nano was showing, her lips slightly parted.
Meanwhile, April and Alicia were discussing who would wash first in the large bathtub in the room they had decided to share.
“Ah. Well then, since we’re sharing a room like this, let’s just go in and wash together!”
“Huh? The bathroom together?”
“Of course, I’ll wash your back for you! To wash with a beauty from the Dragoon Corps on an occasion like this, your skin must be soft, and it would be like heaven, you know~?”
“Uuuuhm, ahaha……. Is that so……?”
“Yeah! Of course, of course~♪ It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
April shamelessly leaned her head towards Alicia and her eyes sparkled.
“An bathing event with a beauty like this is rare!!”
Compared to the slightly naive Alicia, who was tilting her head, April, who was smiling cheerfully as if she was having fun, soon began to chatter, changing the topic here and there.
The gloomy atmosphere that had been filled with a sense of defeat was completely gone, and for a moment, I could even forget the fact that this was the middle of a brutal battlefield.
In the midst of that, Enoch suddenly felt a stuffiness in his chest and said quietly to Sirocco beside him.
“I’m going to get some air outside for a bit.”
“Huh?”
Ignoring Sirocco, who was sending him a puzzled look from the side, Enoch walked outside.
This was enough rest.
There was something he had to do now.
***
After walking down a long, dark corridor for a while, and finally reaching the top of the hotel, as he opened the door to the rooftop, a cold night wind blew against his cheek.
Enoch looked up at the sky for a moment.
After the rain, the moonlight and starlight shone down faintly in the sky where dark clouds still remained.
A cold wind, still damp with moisture, blew across the rooftop, rustling the leaves of the plants in the small garden decorated on the rooftop.
As he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the thick smell of earth after the rain filled his nostrils.
“…….”
Enoch, who had taken a deep breath once, slowly opened his eyes.
The last time, in the underground training ground, the memory of the inheritance that had been forcibly cut off, saying ‘overimmersion prevention’ while he was inheriting the Sword Saint of the Waves, flashed through his mind.
Right after that, a strange ringing in his ears had dug into his mind.
Should he describe it as a feeling of being encroached upon by the inherited past memories?
That was exactly why he had refrained from the inheritance until now.
Enoch had surely realized that the backlash after the inheritance was becoming more and more severe.
Therefore, he had tried not to continue the inheritance as much as possible when he had to carry out a mission, but the situation was what it was.
Enoch slowly retraced the current situation and walked to the middle of the empty rooftop.
Now that he had been given a mission of an absurd difficulty, to suddenly infiltrate an enemy camp teeming with magical beasts alone and eliminate one of the enemy commanders.
In order to achieve such a virtually impossible task, no amount of spec-up was enough.
In other words, weighing the immediate situation and the aftereffects of the last time, there was only one conclusion.
He had to attempt the inheritance of the sword right now.
Sitting on a bench in the rooftop garden, Enoch closed his eyes.
It was time to meet the Sword Saint after a long time.
As he took a deep breath, the familiar sensation of the World of Impermanence unfolding colored his mind.
The moment his extremely focused consciousness sank deep below the surface of sleep, and he had the illusion that a deep blue color was flickering before his eyes.
Finally, Enoch slowly opened his eyes.
And the next moment.
“……!!”
At the incredibly bizarre sight that unfolded before his eyes, Enoch’s pupils widened in an instant.
“This, what in the world……?”